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Rooftop gardens are trending right now. They make good use of premium real estate in urban settings. Adding greenspace to your empty rooftop is a great way to contribute to a healthier environment. Creating a garden can provide a respite for relaxation or be a venue for entertaining. Alternatively, a rooftop can be transformed into a city farm that provides food for the community. The trick is to make the rooftop garden as low maintenance as possible. Here are some ideas for your low-key green roof.
Build Smart and Accessible Containers
You can customize your garden with smartly designed containers or planters. You can use wood, composite materials, metal, and even plastic to build your containers. Choose materials that can contain the soil while not adding excess weight to the roof structure. Make sure they are at a comfortable height and width so that you can reach the plants easily. You also want to provide adequate drainage to prevent root rot. Locate the containers where they will be exposed to both sunlight and shade during the day.
Put Up Wind Blocks
If the rooftop is in a windy area, you will want to block some of that wind to protect the plants. You can do this with trellises at the roof parapet. You can also add pergolas with slatted sides. The added benefit of trellises and pergolas is that viny plants will climb them and increase your greenery. Pergolas covered with plants can be a focal point for creating shaded seating areas for intimate conversation and ultimate relaxation.
Choose Easy-to-Care for Plants
Start with loose, nutrient-dense soil that has compost added to it. Rooftop gardens don’t generally attract garden pests such as deer and rabbits, especially in urban settings. That is a plus in choosing low-maintenance plants.
For greenery, herbs are excellent. Consider thyme, rosemary, basil, and lavender. Seagrasses, like blue fescue, are ornamental and tend to block the wind. Low boxwoods and junipers are attractive because they remain green in winter. Ferns are also easy to maintain green plants.
For flowering plants, you can’t go wrong with perennials that require little care. These would be black-eyed Susans, climbing roses, Irises, and cascade hydrangeas. For climbing pergolas, wisteria is stunning and fragrant.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, you can’t go wrong with colorful cherry tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, and pole beams. These all tend to grow vertically. Lettuces and other dark leafy greens love sunshine and aren’t generally affected by wind. You can even grow various root vegetables, such as potatoes, radishes, and beets that require minimal attention.
Make it a Soothing Space for Wellness
The health benefits of being surrounded by nature are many, even when that space is a rooftop garden. You will find green roofs in hospitals, hotels, apartment buildings, and more. Most of these oases offer areas to rest or gather amidst the plantings. New York City has capitalized on the concept of living roofs to offer spaces for chilling out and improving physical and mental health.
A thoughtfully designed rooftop garden has been shown to improve breathing by increasing oxygen levels. Greenery also cleans the air. Other benefits include stress reduction, lowered blood pressure, and socialization.
